Eclipse
by Donna Z
Summary: It's four years after Hogwarts, and Harry and the gang are fighting a war they seem sure to lose. Can they change the course of the war and restore the former peace? READ/REVIEW!!!!!
1. Default Chapter

Title: Eclipse  
  
Author Name: Nell de Montfort  
  
Email: DonnaGZ@aol.com  
  
Category: Action/Adventure/Romance  
  
Keywords: H/H. War. Hogwarts. Enjoy :)  
  
Rating: R.  
  
Spoilers: all the books.  
  
Summary: It's four years after Hogwarts, and the seventh year of the war against Voldemort. The Ministry is losing badly. Can Harry and his hit squad change the course of the war? And can the people involved keep their feelings for each other from interfering with their duty? H/H.... but when I post all the vignettes there will be a little of everything.  
  
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
Author's Note: Please respond or email me at DonnaGZ@aol.com or Instant message me at DonnaGZ. Just make sure to mention where you got my screen name... :) And I need a BETA-reader. Anyone willing, please contact me... Thanks. Enjoy the story!  
  
Chapter 1  
Beforehand  
  
Lavender Brown sat in her puffy royal blue armchair. She took a deep breath and relaxed every muscle in her body, then gazed into the crystal ball. Concentrating, she closed her mind to the outside world and adjusted her third eye. Soon, images of shadowy figures emerged from the fog in the ball. One was a tall man, clearly a wizard, draped in black robes. He held out his wand in front of him. Without warning, a bolt of green light issued from his wand. Lavender tried to make out the man's facial features, but...  
  
"See much?" a soft voice broke into her reverie.  
  
Lavender jumped out of her chair. "Seamus!" she gasped when she saw the sandy-haired man who had surprised her, and then she threw her arms around his neck. "You scared me so much, sneaking up behind me like that! But it doesn't matter; you're back. Oh, Seamus, it's been eight months since I saw you, hardly knowing if you were alive, except through divination, and you know how fuzzy that can be at the best of times! Oh, Seamus..." but she didn't get to finish her sentence. Seamus Finnigan, grinning, put a finger over her lips to silence her. Holding her closely, he kissed her gently. Lavender gave a muted sigh and melted against him. Mouths still locked, they made their way over to the bed.  
  
~*~  
  
Still panting, Seamus rolled over onto his back. When he caught his breath, he draped one arm around Lavender's shoulders. "Was that me, or was it better than I remembered?"  
  
"It was." Lavender ran her hands through her light brown hair. She sat up in bed. "Seamus," she whispered softly and seriously, "Seamus, promise me you won't go again."   
  
He answered her just as seriously. "You know I can't promise you that, Lavender. We all have to do our part to help defeat the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters and Dark Creatures. If I had your skills, I could work at home as a divinator for the Ministry of Magic as you do - but I've never been one for clairvoyance. I need to do what I can as an Auror to help the cause." He looked pleased with himself for a moment. "Actually, I've just been placed on the hit squads in the Ministry - Harry's."  
  
"One of the best hit squads? That sounds dangerous, beloved. You'll probably have to go in and do the hardest tasks. Who else is there, anyway?"  
  
"The best of the best, Lavendar. Hermione as Charms master, Ron as backup, Charlie for help with magical creatures... Cho for flying, Ginny for medical help, even Draco as a spy. No better team exists, and with Harry's attack plans, we should be unstoppable. Don't worry, I'll be safe - even if I'm far away." He shook his head. "I've wanted nothing more these past months than to come back and see you, my love, but it wasn't feasible. Now I'm going to have to work all the harder, to eliminate the Death Eaters and to stop what happened to Parvati and Dean from happening to anyone else."   
  
No more needed to be said. At the sound of Parvati's name, Lavender moaned softly and burrowed in Seamus' arms. He idly stroked her hair and then whispered, "When the war's done, we'll be able to get married, Lavender."  
  
At that Lavender relaxed against him, and after a little while he could tell by her breathing that she slept.   
  
~*~  
  
The lovers awoke at the sound of a large snowy owl tapping insistently on the glass of their window. Seamus staggered to let the bird in and accepted the letter it bore. He read the letter slowly, then read it again.   
  
Lavender watched as his emotions showed on his face - he'd never been easy to read, but she knew him better than most. She could sense his humor, surprise, satisfaction, and shock, but as he reached the bottom of the letter, she also sensed his dismay. She wrapped the violet sheets around her body and crossed over to where he stood. "What is it, Seamus?"  
  
He looked up at her, eyebrows drawn together pensively but his lips quirked in a smile. "This should amuse your inner gossip, Lavender. It appears that our good friends Harry and Hermione got in a huge screaming match last night about his plan for the next battle. Apparently she thought he was too worried about protecting her, not enough on the offensive. I don't know exactly what he responded, but it seemed the fight ended promptly - in bed."  
  
Lavender smiled wickedly and giggled. "Oh, how wonderful for her! She's loved him all these years, since Hogwarts. Even before she and Ron dated, she confessed to liking Harry."  
  
"Speaking of Ron, the letter says that he doesn't know about his friends'... reconciliation yet." Seamus shut the letter. "But Lavender... Harry also says that we're planning a strike on some sort of outpost. I need to Apparate from here soon, in another hour and twelve minutes, to be precise."  
  
Lavendar didn't look surprised, just disappointed. She hugged him closely and said, "Till we meet again, my only love." Seamus understood and Apparated out immediately. Lavendar hated drawn-out goodbyes. But as he disappeared, Lavendar couldn't help but wonder when she would see him again.  
  
~*~  
  
"Damn it!" Hermione groaned, hitting her fist against the table. "It appears I have two choices - I can lose two pawns or a bishop." She sighed. "It's probably better for my strategy to lose the bishop, but I'm not going to strip this early in the game." Hermione moved her bishop out of the line of danger, got up, and pulled off her shoes and socks. She made a face at her opponent. "Your turn."  
  
Harry Potter grinned. He and Hermione had been friends for eleven years, and for about half of that time he had been completely in love with her. It was amazing to him to find out, after all this time, that she loved him too - and he found it wonderful to be sitting here, with her, playing strip wizard chess. Grinning, he said, "You missed something, Hermione." Slowly, deliberately, he moved his rook forward, penning her queen.   
  
"Fine. I forfeit," said Hermione with a seductive smile that assured Harry that the loss of her queen had come as no surprise. He smiled and ran his hand down her cheek. "Hermione," he whispered, suddenly serious. "I can't believe my luck."  
  
"I can't believe it either," she murmured. "Last night..."  
  
"Was incredible," he finished for her. He gave her an impish grin. "I put it in my Pensieve. Do you want to relive it?"  
  
Hermione crossed over to where he was sitting and sat on his lap. "There is nothing that I would like more in the world," she told him.  
  
Harry raised his wand. "Accio Pensieve!"  
  
Simultaneously, they looked into the Pensieve. The world started whirling around them, and they fell in.  
  
~*~  
  
"I have the perfect plan for the raid of Valmor Manor, Hermione, Ron!" Harry called, running down the steps two at a time. Hermione was sitting curled up in an ancient wooden rocking chair, writing in a small leather-bound book. "Hermi? Where's Ron?" Harry asked.  
  
Hermione put the book away. "Out playing Quidditch to get his mind off things. You know Ron," she said, leveling her clear hazel eyes at Harry to exchange a significant glance. Ron liked to run from his problems instead of dealing with them.  
  
Harry grinned. "Well, this plan is practically foolproof! Come over here and see, Hermi. Look." Harry had made a model of the Great Hall of Valmor Manor and placed small figures of the members of the team in, along with many figures of Death Eaters. "We all go in, made invisible by your new invisibility charm, cloaks are too dangerous. So then Cho, Seamus, and Ron, riding dragons, we'll decide which breed, are in the back. Smaller dragons, to maneuver quickly. Charlie is also on a small dragon, but he has a different job. Anyway, Cho, Seamus, and Ron's job is to cause a lot of damage - keep the Death Eaters from figuring out our real purpose. Meanwhile, a small hit team, consisting of me, Ginny to help medically, and Draco with the codes, is going to sneak in and steal what they're holding in a secret room. Charlie will fly around with seeming randomness, protecting the hit team." He turned to Hermione, expecting a smile of approval.  
  
Instead, Hermione's eyebrows were drawn together. "What about me?"  
  
Harry had been dreading this. "I want you to stay outside the building, with a charm that shows all that's going on within, to report."  
  
Hermione's eyes flashed topaz fire. "You can't do that, Harry! I don't know what you're trying to do, but we both know that job isn't necessary. You need me on the team, to blast through wards and charms, Harry!"  
  
Harry sighed. The truth was, he didn't want Hermione in the center of the danger. She might not know it, but Hermione meant more to him than anyone else in the world. He knew that she didn't feel the same way about him, but he couldn't help being in love with the courageous, talented, beautiful woman in front of him. And she really was beautiful, he reflected. Her puffy hair had calmed down since Hogwarts, and she now had wavy mahogany brown locks that perfectly framed her pretty heart-shaped face. Her hazel eyes changed color quickly, flashing with her different moods like gemstones.   
  
Not having an answer for her, he mumbled, "I would just rather be safe than sorry."  
  
Hermione stamped her foot. "Harry! After ten years as best friends, you should know that this is foolish! Put me in the action, and if I die, it will be for the good of the mission."  
  
That was exactly what Harry feared. "No! I can't risk that. What will I do if you die? Hermione, please! Can't you see? I'm trying to protect you and Ron. Please, Hermi, stay back and don't get hurt!"  
  
"Do you think that I can stand back and watch you die any more than you can for me?" She screamed at him. Tears were running down her face freely. "At least you would still have Ron!"  
  
With that, she turned and ran out of the room. Harry sighed and buried his head in his hands. He hated having to face Hermione after their fights. But he hated fighting with her even more, so he followed after her. Eventually he found her, sitting under the willow tree in their backyard. He came over and sat down next to her, half expecting her to stand up and walk away. Much to his relief, she didn't.  
  
"I'm sorry," Hermione mumbled, looking down into her hands. "I shouldn't have been so cruel. It's just that," she took a deep breath. "It's just that I couldn't live with myself if I found out that you were hurt, and I could have done something to prevent it..." tears flowed down her cheeks.   
  
"Shhhh, Hermione," he said, gathering her up in his arms. She hugged him more closely and sobbed. He rocked her back and forth, humming under his breath. Finally she calmed down enough to speak.  
  
"Thank you, Harry. But you see, you're the only one who would do this, just comfort me and make me feel better. I would be devastated without you, Harry. Really."  
  
"I would be destroyed without you too," he admitted.   
  
"Yes, but you have Ron. You two best friends."  
  
"But you have Ron too, Hermione! He loves you; can't you see that? He told me this afternoon... never mind. He's - he's your soul-mate, Hermione."  
  
"No, he's not," she said softly. "I don't love him like that. I love..." she broke off. "Never mind."  
  
"Who?" he asked, softly.  
  
"I love you. I love you, Harry, and I'm in love with you, and I've wanted to tell you that for the longest time!" she burst out.  
  
Harry just looked at her, almost speechless. "Hermione?" Her eyes filled with tears. Then he leaned in and kissed her, tenderly, on her lips. She kissed him back, opening her lips just the slightest bit.  
  
Even that small movement was enough to send Harry off the edge. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her deeply. She gasped and started fumbling with the buttons on his shirt. He pulled away with great effort.  
  
"No, not out here," he gasped. She smiled back at him, a beautiful, peaceful smile.   
  
"Out here is fine, Harry." She added wickedly, "We can always go to the bedroom after and..." but he cut her off, kissing her again.  
  
~*~  
  
"Wow," Hermione whispered. "Even having already lived it doesn't make it any less... intense. By the way, before I forget, are you going to move me into the center of action now or what?"   
  
Harry groaned. "Oh, fine. You can be on the hit squad. I always rather wanted you by my side anyway," he added softly. "But I'm putting you in the safest position I can find."  
  
Hermione pouted, but was pleased with his compromise. She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Seamus, Apparating in. "Sorry I'm early, but Lavender hates long goodbyes, so I left as soon as I got the message and- oh!" he exclaimed, just then noticing Hermione's state of dishevelment. "I, um..."  
  
"Hello, Seamus," Hermione said brightly. "I was just going to get dressed! I don't think this thing," she said, gesturing to her lingerie, "I don't think it's quite suitable for the occasion. Hold on, I'll be right back."  
  
Hermione Apparated from the bed into her spacious closet. Seamus' jaw opened and closed several times, but no sound came out. Harry raised one eyebrow and said, "Well? Do you have anything to say?"  
  
Seamus grinned. "What's going to happen with Ron?"  
  
Harry groaned. "I have no idea. I think he'll be angry, but he'll understand. I think. Anyway, I'm putting him on a dragon during this attack, so if he's really angry with me, I won't be more than a burnt crisp afterwards."  
  
Seamus chuckled. "Just as long as you're a burnt crisp that can get this job done, Harry. So, tell me - what is the point of this raid anyway?"  
  
Harry shook his head slowly. "Let's wait until the rest get here to discuss it, Seamus."  
  
Seamus looked as though he wanted to say something, but Hermione's re-entrance interrupted him. She had changed into a pair of tight dark blue jeans and a brown tank top. Her hair was tied up in a bun, and she was fastening a topaz pendant around her neck as she walked in. She brushed a kiss across Harry's forehead and then sat down next to him.  
  
At that moment, the Weasley part of the hit squad appeared in Harry's living room. Seamus hadn't seen any of them in several years, but Charlie and Ron looked much the same as he remembered them. Only Ginny was different.  
  
During the six years Seamus had known Ginny at Hogwarts, she had been a shy, quiet girl who never wore makeup and dated Neville Longbottom for nearly two years. In the five years hence, she had blossomed. She was wearing a very stylish dark brown tank top that accentuated her slender body and a pair of dark beige Capri pants that cut off at her knees. Her russet hair, with natural golden highlights, was sensibly pulled back in a shining braid that reached down to her waist. She was several inches shorter than Hermione, but it didn't matter. She was lovely.  
  
Cho and Draco Apparated in next. Cho looked much the same as ever, with her glossy black hair cut at her chin. Draco was paler than Seamus remembered, but Seamus hadn't paid much attention to Malfoy in Hogwarts. Draco, too, gaped at the sight of Ginny.  
  
"Well, now we're all here," Harry began. "So I'll get started." He picked up a box at his feet and pulled eight small dolls out. Each doll resembled a member of the hit squad. Then he pulled out twenty dolls with long black cloaks and one with a long red one. He set them all on a coffee table and waved his wand at them. The Death Eaters arranged themselves in a circle, with the figure in the red cloak in the center. Harry began to speak. "My Godfather, Sirius Black of the Wizard Information Squad, managed to get hold of some extremely useful information that may change the course of this whole war. We've been downplaying our losses, but we have to face it - the Ministry is losing. We've lost Fudge as a hostage, no one from the Department of Mysteries has been seen for over a year, and there have been countless deaths - the entire staff of Hogwarts besides Dumbledore, Molly, Percy and Bill Weasely, The Grangers, our Ambassadors into the Muggle world, Parvati Patil and Dean Thomas, just to name a few that have struck close to home." He took a deep breath. "But we can remedy all of those losses - right now.  
  
"Voldemort is having a meeting with his most trusted advisors - Wormtail, Lucius Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, just to name a few. We know the place - Valmor Manor, a summer home of the Malfoys. Since Draco is believed dead and it has not been publicized that he joined our side, they believe that no one knows the wards to get into their secret lair. But we do," he said with a malicious grin.  
  
"Under the room where the meeting is, accessible only through a trapdoor, the Death Eaters are holding their most prized possession - a small bottle filled with fluid that constantly changes color. This bottle holds Voldemort's life force. That's why Avada Kedavra can't kill him - as long as his life force exists, he lives. So a small team is going into the room and destroying the life force."  
  
The members of the hit squad nodded grimly. That would be the most difficult job, for the room was probably infested with wards that would be nearly impossible to break. Harry picked up three dolls - the dolls representing Seamus, Cho and Ron. He set them on miniaturized dragons and prodded them. "These three are going to fly around the premises, doing as much damage as possible." He gestured to the table, where the three dragons were shooting flames at the Death Eaters. "If you fry Voldemort, all the better, because his life force will be weakened temporarily. Just wreak a lot of havoc and try to keep the Death Eaters from realizing our real purpose.  
  
"Ginny, Draco, Hermione and myself will be the team who goes after the bottle. I believe that between us we should be able to deal with almost anything. Ginny can heal us if someone gets hurt, and Draco, Hermione and I should be able to break through the wards and destroy the bottle. Charlie, you'll be on a dragon above, keeping Death Eaters from following us into the secret room. Everyone got it?"  
  
The other seven nodded soberly. If they succeeded, the war would be over. If they failed, it might well mean utter defeat - especially if Harry was killed.   
  
Unbidden, an image of Lavender appeared in Seamus' mind. Lavender, as she had been on the night of their engagement party, dressed in a slender violet dress, her light brown hair layered around her oval face, gray eyes shining with laughter and happiness. The image firmed his resolve. They couldn't fail. Lavender's voice rang in his head. "Till we meet again, my only love." But when would that be?  
  
  



	2. Valmor Manor

Title: Eclipse  
  
Author Name: Nell de Montfort  
  
Email: DonnaGZ@aol.com  
  
Category: Action/Adventure/Romance  
  
Keywords: H/H. War. Hogwarts. Enjoy :)  
  
Rating: R.  
  
Spoilers: all the books.  
  
Summary: It's four years after Hogwarts, and the seventh year of the war against Voldemort. The Ministry is losing badly. Can Harry and his hit squad change the course of the war? And can the people involved keep their feelings for each other from interfering with their duty? H/H.... but when I post all the vignettes there will be a little of everything.  
  
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
Author's Note: Please respond or email me at DonnaGZ@aol.com or Instant message me at DonnaGZ. Just make sure to mention where you got my screen name... :) And I need a BETA-reader. Anyone willing, please contact me... Thanks. Enjoy the story!  
Chapter 2  
Valmor Manor  
  
"Ok, team. Are you ready?" Harry asked.  
  
The other six nodded. They had changed into light brown pants and shirts, and they were standing in the front yard of the house Harry, Hermione, and Ron shared.  
  
Hermione waved her wand in a circle around the group and cried, "Non videsus!"   
  
It didn't seem like anything happened. Hermione stated matter-of-factly, "Now we can all see each other, but no one else can see us. That's the real downfall of Invisibility Cloaks - you can't see your allies!"  
  
Harry nodded brusquely. "Let's go." The seven joined hands in a circle and Apparated.  
  
Charlie was waiting for them at the agreed-upon place near Valmor Manor. He had voice-trained the four dragons, chosen especially for the riders - Chinese Fireball for Cho, Welsh Green for Seamus, a Norwegian Ridgeback for Ron and a Hungarian Horntail for Charlie. Several spells had been cast on the dragons to make them more agreeable to their riders, but it was with some hesitation that Ron, Seamus and Cho mounted their steeds. Charlie seemed not to care.  
  
Harry looked at his timepiece. "Okay, Charlie - go!"  
  
And the ambush began.  
  
~*~  
  
The four dragon riders flew in a single-file line. Seamus was last. If he craned his neck, he could see what Charlie was doing at the front of the line.  
  
Charlie's Hungarian Horntail had just blown a small flame at the wall of the manor, so that it smoldered. A spiky tail lashed out, breaking through the wall. Seamus silently thanked the hit team for being so quick to shut down the wards, or else the attack would have been history. He murmured to his dragon, "Go." And he flew into the room where the Death Eaters were congregating.  
  
That they were surprised, he didn't doubt. They started milling about in confusion, until Voldemort, cloaked in blood red, and shouted, "Kill them, fools!"  
  
Seamus dodged a curse sent at him and shouted "Ignis!" The Latin word for fire was the dragons' command to spit flame. He was just a moment too slow - only the Death Eater's cloak caught fire, quickly put out by one of the man's colleagues.  
  
Seamus squinted and made out the images of four people dressed in brown, walking stealthily towards the middle of the room. He grinned. Time to make a distraction. He flew, with Harry's team at his back, and shouted "Ignis! Ignis! Ignis!" He didn't expect to hit anyone, just to cause distraction. So it came as a surprise when a flame burnt Peter Pettigrew to a crisp. It wasn't an unpleasant surprise, though.  
  
Seamus, Cho and Ron continued to fly about, making a distraction. Now it was time for the surprise squad to make their move.  
  
~*~  
  
"Lumos," Hermione whispered. The light from her wand lit up the dark passageway. Hermione walked in front, resolute, next to Draco, who was squinting at the tunnels. Ginny was behind them, shoulders squared bravely. Harry was last, facing the doorway through which they had come, protecting the rear.  
  
"Okay," Draco said. "See that light patch in the dirt? Don't step there; you'll get incinerated. Now, there's a ward here that you can't pass through without the password. But it hasn't been changed in at least twenty years, so I'll try. He took a deep breath. "Yo - "  
  
"No!" said Hermione. "If you get it wrong, it'll kill you. There's a way to do this." She waved her wand, making a body-double of herself. "What was the password?"  
  
Draco whispered something in her ear. She smiled slightly. Then she waved her wand again, and the body double said, clearly, "Yoflam!"  
  
"The ward's gone!" Ginny said. Then she grinned at Draco. "Interesting password."  
  
Draco reddened. "It's, ah, it's 'Malfoy' backwards," he stammered. Then he said, "We're almost at the room."  
  
"This has been almost too easy," Harry said, completely ignoring the fact that Draco had helped them get through about twenty wards that might have been deadly otherwise. "Something's going on."  
  
There was a large wall blocking the passageway into the room. Draco put his hand up against it, and his hand went right through. Harry and Hermione exchanged a look. The wall let Draco's whole arm through, and then it stopped yielding.   
  
"Thought so," he said. "This wall only lets things of a certain mass get through. So Voldemort probably changes into a snake to get in, or they do a summoning spell. But I'm sure that once we attacked they put some sort of spell on the bottle to fix it to the table."  
  
Hermione shook her head. "I don't see why we don't just use a spell to reduce our own mass!"  
  
Ginny shook her head. "No, Hermione. If I understand correctly, this wall will only let things the exact mass of the bottle get through, and we don't know how much the bottle weighs. It's not going to be that easy."  
  
A slow grin spread over Hermione's face. "Wait! Look! The wall doesn't spread down all the way to the floor! We can get under!"  
  
Ginny eyed the gap. It couldn't have been more than a centimeter. "Hermione..."  
  
Harry, also, was eyeing the space. ""Mione, there's no way your Animagus form could fit through there, is there?"  
  
"Don't be daft, Harry. I know I never told you what my Animagus form is, but it's not a centipede! Ginny, shrink me. And Draco too, and then yourself. I'll need you all to help me destroy the bottle."  
  
"I'll stay and guard," Harry promised.   
  
"Okay, said Ginny, not sounding okay at all. "Parvus!"  
  
In an instant, Hermione was several centimeters tall and less than a centimeter wide. "Thanks!" she shouted. "Now come on!"  
  
Ginny and Draco also shrunk themselves and joined Hermione. The three miniscule people crawled through the gap and into the room. The bottle has on a table, high above their heads, the liquid inside shimmering and changing color. "There it is!" Hermione hissed.   
  
"Uh-oh," said Ginny. "The room's vibrating."  
  
The three of them froze as they heard loud crashes. With a shock, Hermione realized what they were.   
  
They were footfalls. The footfalls of a giant.  
  
~*~  
  
Seamus was proud of the work the team had done. The Death Eaters had been practically annihilated. Now, he acknowledged grimly, it was time for bigger and more dangerous prey. He would need to weaken Voldemort.   
  
He turned his dragon around in a full circle and bore down, charging the creature in the red cloak. Voldemort looked up - and disappeared. Dismayed, Seamus turned again, only to find that Voldemort was behind him. He sighed with relief. Harry had long since activated the wards that would keep people from Apparating out of Valmor manor.   
  
He bore down again, only to find Voldemort had disappeared. He took a quick look around him at the damage for resuming his chase. Cho's Chinese Fireball and Ron's Norwegian Ridgeback had both been slaughtered. Cho had summoned a broomstick and was flying around, stunning the remaining Death Eaters but not using any Unforgivable Curses. Ron had abandoned his dragon, his broom and his wand and was engaged in a bloody fistfight with Lucius Malfoy. Seamus briefly considered helping him, but decided not to for two reasons - it would be impossible to harm Lucius without harming Ron too, and besides, Ron was doing well enough on his own. Charlie and his Hungarian Horntail were guarding the trapdoor.  
  
Voldemort had his back to Seamus. Now was his chance! He flew down at the cloaked figure. Voldemort whipped around and shouted, "Avada Kedavra!" just as Seamus yelled, "Ignis!"   
  
Voldemort was enveloped in the searing dragon flame. Seamus tried to twist his body around so that either his dragon took the blast of the curse or that it missed him entirely, but he was too late. The outskirts of the Killing Curse hit Seamus' arm, and, still alive, Seamus fell off his dragon, fell onto the hard wooden floor.  
  
~*~  
  
Ginny, Hermione and Draco looked at each other in dismay. The giant was coming closer. Hermione took a deep breath and said, "All right. Ginny, Draco, bring me back to my original size. Enlarge yourselves a bit too, so I can see you but the giant can't. I'll attack it, but you two won't be seen so he won't see your curses coming."  
  
Ginny nodded and impulsively hugged Hermione. "Try not to get yourself killed. 'Mione! Magnus!"  
  
Instantly Hermione was back her original size. The giant was almost upon them, so she Apparated to the other side of the chamber and shouted "Over here, numbskull!"  
  
The giant looked toward her. It raised its foot, intent on crushing her. She had to wait for the exact moment... now. "Wingardium Leviosa!" she cried, raising her wand in a swift motion.  
  
Nothing happened.   
  
Hermione quickly realized that her strength alone wasn't enough to lift up a giant. "Ginny, Draco, help me! Wingardium Leviosa!"   
  
This time the giant was swung up into the air. Its head hit the ceiling with enough force to knock it unconscious. Hermione yelled "Stupefy!" just to keep the giant unconscious as long as possible. "Petrificus Totalus!" If she could keep the giant from getting up again, the three might be able to complete their mission.   
  
"Ginny, Draco, were are you?" she asked. When she located them, she enlarged them to their original size. Ginny said, with an attempt at levity, "Can't you make me a few inched taller, 'Mione? I've always hated being so small."  
  
Hermione smiled slightly. "Ginny, your diminutive size is not our main concern right now. We've gotten to the bottle - but how do we destroy it?"  
  
~*~  
  
Ron wiped his bloodied face on his sleeve, grinning. After all the years of abuse from the Malfoys, he had finally been able to pay them back. Not only had he knocked Lucius Malfoy unconscious in a fistfight, but also Lucius' son had paid a large part in the downfall of Voldemort. This was almost as good as seeing Malfoy bouncing as a ferret all those years ago, in fourth year. Almost.  
  
But his mirth disappeared when he saw Seamus, lying weakly on the ground. Ron dropped to his knees. "Seamus! Are you alive? Seamus, answer me!" he said, shaking his lifetime friend by the shoulders. "Seamus!"  
  
Seamus was still alive. He groaned in pain. "Ron..." he whispered hoarsely. "Ron, I... I can't make it much longer. Please..."  
  
"What is it?" Ron asked, not unkindly.  
  
"Ron - take care of Lavender. Tell her I love her, and make sure she doesn't grieve too much. Make sure that she's happy..." Seamus gasped for breath.  
  
Ron nodded. "Don't worry, Seamus. I will."  
  
"You - personally," Seamus choked. "Promise me... make sure yourself that she's all right. Promise me!"  
  
"I promise," Ron said.  
  
Seamus smiled. "Thank you," he croaked. And his head fell to the side.   
  
Ron sat, cradling Seamus in his arms.  
  
~*~  
  
"So, I'm going to incinerate the bottle so that the liquid is split into a thousand molecules and separated throughout the universe. Will that work?" Hermione asked.   
  
"No!" Ginny cried. "His life force will still be there. You need to destroy it utterly!"  
  
"I can't just destroy it!" Hermione yelled. "It's one of the basic laws of physics, the Law of Conservation of Matter! Matter can neither be created nor destroyed!"  
  
Ginny and Draco looked at her blankly. "What?"  
  
Hermione sighed. "Oh, never mind. You see, everything is made up of tiny molecules, linked together. Those molecules are made up of atoms, which are pure materials. There are over a hundred types of atoms."  
  
Draco furrowed his brow. "Can you separate the... the atoms of the potion?"  
  
Hermione shrugged. "I can try. I'll need to make up a spell, though."  
  
Ginny fished something out of her pocket. It was a book no larger than her thumbnail. "Magnus," she muttered. It expanded into a large book. "Here," she said, handing it to Hermione. I brought a spell book with me. Just in case, you know."  
  
Hermione flipped through it. "Enlarging atoms, no, that won't work...duplicating atoms, we don't want more of the potion, and so that's not the answer... Aha! Separating atoms. Let's see..." she stuck her wand in the potion. "Separatio!"  
  
"The potion's gone!" Ginny said in awe.  
  
"Where did it go?" Draco asked.   
  
"Voldemort's life force is now just nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon floating in the air," Hermione said smugly, putting her wand back in its holder at her waist. Ginny and Draco looked at each other blankly again, so Hermione rephrased. "We did it!"  
  
Ginny squealed and hugged Hermione. Then she turned around and flung herself at Draco, who looked rather surprised. Then Ginny hugged Hermione again. "We did it!" she cried.  
  
Hermione felt a pair of strong arms encircling her from behind. "Harry!" she gasped.  
  
"The moment the life force was destroyed, the ward disappeared," he explained. His emerald eyes were sparkling. "We've won, Hermione," he whispered. "We won."  
  
In answer, Hermione turned around and kissed him. He pulled her closer, and she sighed, bringing her arms up around his neck. His lips smiled against hers. "Come on, you three. Let's go back. Let's go back and tell them that we won!"  
  
~*~  
  
Cho and Charlie's anxious face greeted the strike team at the trapdoor. But when they saw Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Draco's jubilant expressions, Charlie's face broke out into a wide Weasley grin. "All's well up here, chief, I think. I don't actually think that any Death Eaters survived."  
  
Harry surveyed the room. He saw Ron, sitting on the ground, and strode purposefully toward him. Hermione, Ginny, Draco and Charlie followed. "Ron," Harry began. "What..." but then he saw Seamus.  
  
Ron looked up at the faces of the others. "He's dead," he said tonelessly.  
  
Harry nodded and didn't say anything. Charlie and Draco looked grave, and Hermione was sniffing back tears. Ginny was looking at Seamus' body with an expression of horror, and Cho was weeping.  
  
"Just like Cedric," she sobbed. Harry looked at her in surprise, for it was the first time Cho had ever spoken about Cedric's death during the Triwizard Tournament. Charlie put an arm around her shoulders.  
  
Finally Harry said, "Charlie, Ginny, you go to the Ministry and tell your father about our victory. Cho, inform the Aurors of the Death Eaters dead - they'll want to know. Hermione, get in contact with Dumbledore and see what he thinks. I'll take care of the prisoners and go to the Daily Prophet and make sure they print out an accurate article, they'll be more likely to listen to the Boy Who Lived." He ran is hand across his forehead. "Ron... Ron, bring Seamus back to our house. Prepare for the... the burial." Harry swallowed.   
  
Ron shook his head negatively. "No. Charlie, you bring Seamus back to the manor, Ginny can handle Dad on her own. I need to go do something Seamus asked me to." He Apparated away.  
  
Harry nodded and the other five set out on their missions.   
  
~*~  
  
Lavender was awakened by the insistent knocking on her front door. Sighing, she stretched and got out of bed, slipping on a violet night robe and running her fingers through her untidy hair. She opened the door and was surprised to see Ron, her old schoolmate. He was covered in ash, dirt, and blood, with deep shadows under his eyes.  
  
"Ron! Come inside, now! Are you all right? What's wrong?"  
  
"Lavender - we won. Voldemort's not ever coming back. But Seamus - Lavender, Seamus was killed by Voldemort. Before he died, he told me to tell you he loved you and that you shouldn't..."  
  
Lavender backed away. "No! I don't believe you! You're lying!" She turned around and ran into her house, slamming the door in Ron's face.  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Aftermath

Title: Eclipse  
  
Author Name: Nell de Montfort  
  
Email: DonnaGZ@aol.com  
  
Category: Action/Adventure/Romance  
  
Keywords: H/H. War. Hogwarts. Enjoy :)  
  
Rating: R.  
  
Spoilers: all the books.  
  
Summary: It's four years after Hogwarts, and the seventh year of the war against Voldemort. The Ministry is losing badly. Can Harry and his hit squad change the course of the war? And can the people involved keep their feelings for each other from interfering with their duty? H/H.... but when I post all the vignettes there will be a little of everything.  
  
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
Author's Note: Please respond or email me at DonnaGZ@aol.com or Instant message me at DonnaGZ. Just make sure to mention where you got my screen name... :) And I need a BETA-reader. Anyone willing, please contact me... Thanks. Enjoy the story!  
  
Chapter 3  
Aftermath  
  
Ginny made a quick stop at her flat before heading over to the ministry. She took a quick shower and changed her outfit, figuring she would cause a huge scene if she entered the office of the Minister of Magic covered in dirt, sweat, and blood, still wearing her hit squad uniform. She put on a short black skirt and a gold tank top, smiling. The Ministry had recently but a ban on wizarding robes in public, trying to protect anonymity, but she thought Muggle clothes were nicer anyway. When she was ready, she Apparated over to her father's office.  
  
The past five years had taken their toll on Arthur Weasley. The deaths of his wife and two sons, along with his responsibilities as Minister of Magic, had changed the once cheerful and energetic father into a nervous, graying, suspicious man. But he greeted his daughter with unfeigned joy.  
  
"Ginny! I'm so glad to see you! How've you been? It's been a while, and..."  
  
Ginny cut him off. "Dad, I have something to tell you."  
  
He nodded, obviously preparing himself for the worst.  
  
"I think you'd better sit down," she told him. Gratefully, he sank down onto the beaten-up couch. She sat down next to him, caramel eyes sparkling.  
  
"Dad," she said, "It's over."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Harry, Hermione, Charlie, Ron, Draco, myself and," she gulped, "and Seamus made an attack on a Death Eater meeting at Valmor manor. The attack was made secret because we wanted to be utterly sure that no one would find out. And we succeeded. Dad, we've taken all of the Death Eater leaders prisoner. Malfoy, Nott, and Denat are all our prisoners. Crabbe, Goyle and many others are dead," she paused for effect, "including Voldemort."  
  
The Minister of Magic hugged his daughter so tightly she thought she couldn't breathe. "How wonderful," he whispered. "Oh, Molly..."  
  
Ginny said nothing.  
  
~*~  
  
Ginny threaded her way through several tables to get to the back room of the fancy French restaurant. Harry was having a small dinner party for the seven former hit squad members, and the friends had an unspoken pact not to talk of Seamus - to have one night of pure and perfect joy at winning the war. Nonetheless, Ginny was unsurprised that the other five who had arrived were all wearing black. She herself was wearing a short black dress, but the smile on her face was jubilant.   
  
Hermione greeted Ginny with a smile and a warm hug. "Ron isn't here yet, we don't know what's keeping him. But sit down. I think we all have interesting stories to tell," she said, topaz eyes sparkling.  
  
Ginny laughed. "Hermione, you look like you've just been given the best gift of your life! What's going on?"  
  
"Oh, just reminiscing," she said. "You'll see." She grinned, and them turned and walked over to her seat between Harry and empty chair that was probably for Ron.  
  
Ginny was seated between her brother Charlie and Draco Malfoy. Her brother immediately engaged her in conversation, asking how her interview with their father went, telling her about his unenviable task in telling the Finnigans about their sons' fate. "I told them that if it weren't for him, we couldn't have won the war," he explained, "but I don't think that brought their son back to them."  
  
By contrast, Draco was silent. His skin was pale, and he was dressed in black robes. His greeting to her was distinctly cool, and when she began to tell him of her father's reaction to the attack, he said nothing and turned away. Belatedly, Ginny remembered what had happened to Lucius at the manor.  
  
"Oh, Draco," she murmured. Then she added softly, "We'll talk about this after dinner?" and was heartened when he smiled.  
  
Ron then made his fashionably late entrance, dressed in black like everyone else. He looked somber. "I've been spending the day at Lavender's house. I figured she needed someone to be with her. She's been sobbing incoherently all day long." Ginny smiled engagingly at him and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Ron, it could be worse," she joked. She could be recounting all of her steamy stories about her and Seamus in bed." Ginny was gratified when Ron chuckled. One of her best qualities was her ability to make a difficult situation more bearable by making jokes, but her heart wasn't in it. She knew that Lavender had to be devastated.   
  
Harry stood up. "All right! Now that everyone is here, I want to just make a quick run-through so that everyone knows what's been going on. Cho, you start."  
  
Cho shrugged. "What is there to say? The Aurors - including my father, Lee Chang, don't reveal much to me. They took a careful list of those reported dead, and they commended us on a job well done. They don't seem very emotional to me."  
  
Harry nodded. "That seems to be in order. Draco?"  
  
Draco shook his head. "I haven't done much, chief. You didn't give me a job, so I sort of just went home and brooded." He gave a half-smile, but Ginny wasn't fooled. Draco seemed like the type to reveal something deeply personal but camouflage it as a joke so no one realized it. She spoke up next. "I went and I told Dad what happened. He was in shock. Actually," she said, her voice faltering, "He called me Molly. Then I had to go and make a statement to the heads of all the offices in the Ministry, but all is well. A few people fainted, but I think that everything will be back to order soon."  
  
Charlie was next. He grimaced. "I told Seamus's family about what happened. They expressed their joy at our defeating Voldemort, but didn't seem to carry much conviction. They're going to go spend some time with Lavender later this week." Ron nodded approvingly.  
  
"Since you all know what I've been doing because I announced it when I walked in, why don't we skip to Hermione?"  
  
Hermione's eyes sparkled. "Come back to me. Harry?"  
  
Harry grinned. "D'you all want me to read you a copy of the article that's about to come out in the Daily Prophet? Actually, here, I'll pass it around."  
  
Ginny grabbed the article and was the first to read it. The letterhead stated clearly that it would be the front-page article. She read:  
  
War Ends!  
  
Three days ago, the wizarding community's seven-year long war with He-who-must-not-be-named and the Death Eaters came to an abrupt end when a small. Specialized hit squad made an unscheduled attack on Valmor manor, an old Malfoy manor where the Death Eaters were convening. The squad, which consisted of Harry Potter, known as the boy who lived, Hermione Granger, his schoolmate and soul-mate, Ronald Weasley, His long-time best friend, Virginia and Charles Weasley, Draco Malfoy, who recently rebelled against his infamous father to join the Ministry's side, along with school friend Cho Chang and the late Seamus Finnegan, who was lamentably lost during the attack.  
All members of the squad refuse to comment on their strategy in the mission or the mysterious way they ensured He-who-must-not-be-named would be gone for good. We do, however, know that their strategy involved dragons and an ancient spell that separates atoms.   
Regrettably, He-who-must-not-be-named killed Seamus Finnigan. Finnigan did, however, manage to wound the commander of the dark forces so badly that the mission was a success. Harry Potter called Finnigan a 'martyr' and said, "Without him, we all might have died. It's because of Seamus that we won this war." There will be a memorial commemorating Finnigan's noble sacrifice in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. No comment could be obtained from Lavender Brown, Finnigan's long-time fiancé.  
Arthur Weasley, minister of magic, said, "We're so lucky to have won the war. The Ministry is now going to put all of its efforts into restoring peace to the magical community. The community at Hogsmeade and all schools of witchcraft will be re-opened. We have decided to waive punishment of Harry Potter's squad for going against Ministry in having a secret attack. Standard rules are to strip them of their Apparition licenses, but how can we punish the seven of them for winning a war?  
The staff of the Daily Prophet would like to personally thank the seven heroic witches and wizards who enabled the rest of our world to live in peace and harmony. Thank you!  
  
Ginny glowed with contentment, passing the article around. Hermione, beaming just as widely, added, "I think it's time to make my announcement." Pulling out her wand, she summoned a small, blue, flame in midair. Albus Dumbledore's head popped into it.  
  
"Why, hello," he said, blue eyes twinkling. "It's so nice to see all of you. I understand that congratulations are in order. You have done the wizarding world a great honor, and I salute you. Actually, the International League of Magic is planning on having a meeting to honor you, with representatives from all over the world."  
  
"Wow," said Harry.  
  
"Indeed," Dumbledore continued. "Books will be written about you. Children in the magical world will grow up knowing your names. I believe that it is important that you know the effects of your success on the rest of your lives.  
  
"You seven are now probably the most employable wizards and witches in the world. This is why I have come to speak to you. All of you probably know about the tragedy at Hogwarts last year. I have come to offer you all jobs as professors."  
  
Ginny, Charlie, Ron, Cho, Harry and Draco gaped at each other, while Hermione looked smug. Dumbledore continued. "Miss Granger has accepted the job of Transfiguration professor and Assistant Head of School. She excels in all areas of magic, but her unique position as an Animagus qualifies her for the Transfiguration job.  
  
"Mr. Potter, I would like to offer you the job of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and Head of Gryffindor House. It would please me if Mr. Ronald Weasley would accept the post of Charms teacher, and Mr. Charlie Weasley to teach Care of Magical Creatures. Miss Weasley, I am offering you the post of Head of Hospital Wing and I am considering offering a course in Magical Healing, which you would teach, of you would be so kind. I would also like Mr. Malfoy to be the Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House, and for Miss Chang to be the flying teacher and head of the House Quidditch Championships."  
  
Harry nodded, and looked around the table. "I think, Professor," he said, "that it's safe to say that we all accept our jobs."  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "Good. I gave Miss Granger a complete list of the people I have in mind for every job, you can ask her if you're curious. I'd like training to begin in a week, so come by then." His head disappeared.  
  
Everyone started talking at once.  
  
Ron and Charlie immediately began discussing what their father's reaction to this would be. Cho summoned up a fire, and when her father's head popped into it, she began speaking to him in rapid Chinese. Ginny hugged Hermione and then the two women and Harry started to gesticulate widely and talk loudly. Draco attempted to make himself heard.   
  
"Hermione!" he shouted. "Will you read us the rest of the teachers?"  
  
Hermione pulled out a piece of parchment. "Thanks, Draco. Quiet, Everyone! Ok, here goes: Arithmancy, Fleur Delacour; Herbology, Justin Finch-Fletchley; Astronomy, Eloise Midgen, and she's also the head of Hufflepuff. Library, Penelope Weasley, and she's the Head of Ravenclaw; Runes, Blaise Zabini; Muggle Studies, Padma Patil; Keeper of Grounds, Hagrid jr.; Castle Janitor, Vincent Crabbe; and," she paused, "Divination, Lavender Brown."  
  
"Crabbe will be good in Filch's old spot," Draco mused.  
  
"Has anyone told Penelope yet? She might not accept it, without Percy and all," Ginny said worriedly.  
  
Hermione shook her head. "I don't know, but maybe she and Fleur will become friends. They have that in common, now; I can't imagine working at Hogwarts won't bring back memories of Bill for Fleur, too."  
  
Ron's calm voice broke into their reverie. "Lavender won't do it," he told them matter-of-factly.  
  
Everyone else stopped speaking. "Why not?" Hermione asked.  
  
Ron stood up. "Too many memories. And I doubt she'll ever want to look into a crystal ball again. She saw Seamus's death before, you know; she just didn't realize it was Seamus who was dying. Some wounds never heal."  
  
"Ron?" Harry asked. "Could you try to talk her into it? It'll be good for her, in the long run. She needs to get on with her life, to have a career, to..."  
  
"To meet with her friends again," Hermione finished. "It'll be a good thing for her."  
  
Ron's dark blue eyes met Hermione's topaz ones. "If you think I should, 'Mione," he said dully. Then he began to walk swiftly out of the restaurant.  
  
"Ron, wait!" Hermione called, and she ran after him.   
  
~*~  
  
"Ron!" Hermione called breathlessly. "Ron, please, wait!" But while Ron was a sprinter, Hermione was the better long-distance runner, and she eventually caught up with him.  
  
"What is it, Ron?" she asked gently.  
  
He stopped, running his hands through his red hair. "I tried to ignore it," he said, in an anguished voice. "I tried to ignore the fact that after we decided to be just friends for a little while, you stopped really spending time with me. I tried to ignore the fact that Harry seemed to know more about you than I, who loved you for seven years, knew about you. But no matter how much I tried, I couldn't ignore the way that Harry looked at you - as if you were a goddess, sheer perfection. And I couldn't ignore the fact that you started looking at him the same way." He took a deep breath.   
  
"We had a conversation about it once. I came right up to him and said, 'Harry, I think I want to get back together with Hermione again. I love her so much, and I don't want to be without her. What do you think?' and he turned away and said, in a sort of strangled way, 'Go for it, Ron. You two love each other, go for it.' But I knew it wasn't true. So I went outside, to play Quidditch, to get my mind off things for a little while. And when I came back, neither of you were downstairs, just a list in Harry's handwriting of the jobs we would all have during the attack on Valmor manor. I wondered where you two had gone, and then I heard it. I heard you cry out his name."  
  
"Oh, Ron," Hermione said softly. "I didn't know you felt that way about it. I didn't even realize that you knew. We were going to tell you about it later."  
  
He shook his head. "We've been best friends for eleven years. I knew right away. When I saw you next, you were happier than I had ever seen you before. And then I knew that you and Harry were in love. Just watching the two of you - how well you work together as a team, the way you finish each other's sentences - just the way that you don't really need to tell each other what you're thinking, you just sort of look at each other and you understand. It's incredible; it's beautiful to watch. You and Harry redefine 'perfect couple.' But I only wish that my best friend's soul mate didn't need to be the woman I love, the woman I've always loved. And I wish that, if you couldn't be mine, that you wouldn't belong to the famous Harry Potter, who gets everything!"  
  
"I don't belong to anyone!" Hermione spat. "Harry doesn't own me! He wouldn't have even acted on his love for me. I made the first move. It was my decision!" But she instantly regretted her sharp words when she saw how deeply she'd hurt him.  
  
"Oh, Ron," she said, stroking his cheek. "You're a wonderful person, and you were a good boyfriend. We're just not right for each other. Even if things had turned out differently between Harry and me we still wouldn't have been right for each other. But somewhere there is a woman who is right for you, and I hope that you find her."  
  
"Thanks, 'Mione," he told her.   
  
"You're welcome," she said. "And don't forget, no matter what, we're still best friends. So, will you race me back to the restaurant?"  
  
"Sure! Last one there is a toad!" he said, and broke into a sprint.  
  
Hermione was right behind him, laughing all the way.  
  
~*~  
  
Ron tentatively rang the doorbell of Lavender's apartment. When she opened the door, he was surprised to find that she looked reasonably healthy. She had taken a shower, washed her hair, and washed her face, and she looked much better. She also appeared to have gotten some sleep, and was clothed in a long violet robe.  
  
"Hello, Ron," she greeted him.  
  
"Lavender, you look great!" he said.  
  
"Don't sound so shocked!" she laughed. It was a beautiful sound, the first time she had laughed since Seamus died. "I had a long talk with Seamus's parents last night. They gave me a letter he had written in case something like this happened..." she faltered, and for a moment her dormant grief showed on her face before she buried it again. "So I decided that I should take a shower and get some rest. I feel a lot better now."  
  
"Good," Ron said. "Listen, Dumbledore wants you to be the Divination teacher when Hogwarts opens again. Will you do it?"  
  
Lavender sat down heavily on an armchair. "I guess I don't have a choice," she said. "I need to do something, or I'll do insane. What better to do than to spend time at Hogwarts, where there will be memories of Seamus at every corner? It'll be like living in a Pensieve." He caught the ironic tone to her voice.   
  
"We'll all be there with you, Lavender. Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Padma, and I will be there to help you. You won't be alone."  
  
Lavender nodded slowly. "Tell Dumbledore... tell him that I accept."  
  
Ron jumped up. "Great! Try to be at training in a week, it begins then, since none of us have any experience as teachers. I'll see you then. And, Lavender - I'm glad you're going to do it."  
  
She smiled at him, and it was like a flash of sunshine. "So am I, Ron." He Disapparated, and she sat down again. "Oh, Seamus," she whispered. "What do you want me to do?"  
  
  



End file.
